Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-04-07

Doubaless sxamped at Sea with a
Aass u goo E.Aves.


Lsss ss SEQ zavs@.
sr. JOHNS, N. r., March sl,--The
report Of the loss Of che sealing steamer
Eagle with all on board Ia confirmed.
The calamity is the most appalling that
ever befell the province Of Newt Jund-
land. OF 26U men on board not one sur
wives to tell tho story of the disaster.
More than ], 900 widows and children In
this city and vicinity, most of them In
poverty, are mourning the loss of hus-
bands or fathers. The lost vessel was
last seen by the steamer Aurora ON the
night OF the 18th inst near Franks
IsIand, in. Buepa Vista Bay, which is
about 100 miles northwest OF thia city.
A heavy sea was running at the time.
The next morning the Aurora could find
no trace OF the Eagle.
A message arrived to. day from Green
pond, on the bay. saying that Light house
Keeper Cabot boarded the sealing
steainers Vanguard and Hector off that
place few days later. Both those yes
sells reported passing spars, the forecastls
and other wreckage, including the name
board of the Eagle, near the spot where
she was last seen. Lighthouse Keeper
Cabot is thoroughly trustworthy man,
and his opinion that the Eagle has gone
down with all on board il almost con
elusive, aside from the evidence from
other sources. The other steamers of the
fleet are spoken and reported every few
days, and all have been heard from since
the 18th, except the Eagle. No one here
any longer doubts that all on board have
| persisted.
| Regarding the circumstances of dis
| aster, there are two theories about equally
tenable. One is that the boilers exploded
| in which event all on board would havs
persisted ut once in the raging sea. Thu
other is that the vessel in some way go
into the breakers, which would hay,
made death TO all less certain. The sea tina
night 10 descrihed by the men on tn
other vessels of tho feet as the most ter
rible that ever ragged even upon thi
savage coast. No ship once caught In tn
awful breakers could possibly escape
and no small boat could land a man aliy
on the rocky, precipitous coast. Any
thing that could float, large or small
would have been ground TO pieces on th
wild rocks.
and about 2l0 sealers. Their exact nun
| DER IL not kuoWu All LILO sohAiu
steamers carry large number of mel
The nature of the work makes 1t nece
sary The seals are generally found upo
the ice in large schools or colonies. II
men get as close as possible to them, an
then, armed with clubs, ruth in anon
them and knock over ~ nang us possib
o before they have time to escape TO Il
water. The more men there are the mo
seals are canght.
Captain Jackmin, commander of u
Eagle, was recognized as the brave
skipper of the colony. Until 1885
was the king of the sealing feet. In th
), season, for the first time in his experienc
he failed 10 secure any seRls. Last ye
i'll luck again attended him and he ID
1t the steamer Resolute near the same fai
Franks Island, but his crew escape
Later, the same season, he took comma
of the Eagle, and within few weeks s
broke her shaft. She was refitted anC
i, mouth ago she started on her last voyat
y Nearly all the men on board were MARI
and were in the prime of life. I
- calamity falls with still more crushi
4 force by reason of the impoverished OF
dition of the colony. Nearly all
newly-made widows and orphans
without means of support, and distr
among them will be great.